Nia Vardalos Shares Her Healthiest Habits

We've loved Nia Vardalos ever since she starred in (and wrote!) one of our
favorite flicks, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and now the actress returns to the big
screen alongside Justin Long, Seth Rogen, Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller in the
hilarious comedy, For a Good Time Call...We caught up with the talent to find
out what habits are keeping her happy and healthy -- you'll love her clever grocery
shopping tip!

Fitness mash-up

I’m not the type of person who’s
excited to exercise. It’s more like I yank myself by the collar into a workout. But
because I’m a mom, I just have to cram exercise in when I can. I’ve found doing
different forms of exercise helps it be less boring. During the week, I drop my daughter
off at school by 8:00 am, then zip over to an exercise class. It could be HipHop on
Tuesdays or Cardio Barre on Fridays. By 9:45 I’m out, showered and at my desk writing.
My point is, a bit of everything adds up to a less stale week of fitness. Actually, the
best exercise is the weekend dog walks. They’re both unruly heathens so it ends up
being good for the arms.

Make an appointment

After packing a lunchbox, volunteering
to read to my daughter’s class, then working all day, I forget about me. But if I
write it down, I do it. I use an old school day planner mostly because it gives me great
pleasure to cross off the things I’ve accomplished, even when it’s as simple as
exercise class and take supplements. But there is a reason I call it my old school day
planner: it’s ancient and uncool, and I’ve been looking for a new way to help me
keep track of the wellness routine I try to stick to. I recently downloaded the free
WannaBeWell app which offers tips, reminders and healthy inspirations to help me stay
organized and focused. Click here to download the app. It’s
free, woo hoo!

Shop the perimeter

When I go grocery shopping, I avoid the
middle aisles with the processed food, snacks and all the sweet stuff that sticks to my
teeth and thighs. I focus on the outer edges of the store, where the fresh fruits and
vegetables, dairy and proteins are located. But I do make one exception; I go down the
middle aisle to get my supplements. And yes, if I walk briskly, I do count it as extra
exercise.

Be prepared

We all know that after a long day, it’s easier
to be guilty of making poor food choices. Yes, I’m talking about eating fried chicken
whilst hunched over the sink. But I can avoid those fat-attacks by being prepared: making
sure my fridge or the food area on movie sets are stocked with healthy options, like
non-fat plain yogurt with some maple syrup, or a bit of turkey around a slice of red
pepper.

Accessorize!

! I like to keep my vitamins in a fashionable
pouch that even Tim Gunn would approve of. This occurred during the filming of my second
movie: my costars went rifling through my purse and found where I kept my vitamins…in a
sad and crushed plastic baggie. This was on the Connie and Carla set and my
costars were drag queens so they were naturally mortified at my lack of style. They took
me shopping, I saw a designer bag and immediately ditched the baggie. And now, when I take
my supplements, I feel fancy.